The disclosure relates to a sheet feeding apparatus that feeds sheets and an image forming apparatus including the sheet feeding apparatus.
As the sheet feeding apparatus that feeds sheets, a manual sheet feeding section is conventionally known which feeds sheets to an apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus. The manual sheet feeding section includes a manual sheet feeding tray installed therein so as to be openable with respect to an apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus. When the manual sheet feeding tray is opened with respect to the apparatus main body, sheets are placed on the manual sheet feeding tray. Each of the sheets is loaded into the apparatus main body by a sheet feeding roller, and an image is formed on the sheet.
The manual sheet feeding tray includes a sheet tray on which sheets are placed and which is opened with respect to the apparatus main body, and a lifting plate disposed on a leading end side of the sheet tray. A leading end side of the lifting plate moves up and down using, as a fulcrum, an axis of rotation disposed near a fulcrum portion for opening and closing of the sheet tray. Thus, the leading end side of the sheet comes into abutting contact with the sheet feeding roller.
An object of the disclosure is to stabilize orientation of sheets in abutting contact with the sheet feeding roller even with a change in the number of sheets placed on the sheet tray.